“Leading with heart and giving back are both intrinsic to Davidson culture and ladder up to two of my favorite company core values: ‘Be passionate about what you do; serve others with love’ and ‘Always do what’s right,’” said Davidson Hospitality Group Chief Executive Officer Thom Geshay. “Community service projects are not new to Davidson, as our company has been doing them for years. However, this is the first time we’ve done it on a coordinated basis to really highlight the terrific impact our teams are having across the country. I continue to be amazed by our team members for fortifying strong relationships with the communities in which we live and serve.”
Below is a sampling of Davidson Day of Service efforts taking place during November:
Environmental outreach
- Snowpine Lodge in Alta, Utah adopted a local trail called Temple Quarry Trail through the Alta Ski Area Forest service and will be conducting clean up and maintenance.
- Viewline Resort, Autograph Collection in Snowmass, Colorado adopted a local trail called the Viewline Trail and will be cleaning and maintaining the trail.
- Hotel Zephyr will be doing gardening work at Mission Dolores Park, one of the oldest and historic parks in San Francisco.
- The Mills House, Curio Collection, will volunteer with the SC Department of Natural Resources and in partnership with one of its vendors to plant artificial oyster reefs in local waterways.
- The Alexander, A Dolce Hotel, will be participating in the White River Cleanup project with partners at Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
Partnering with local organizations to make a difference
- Eden Roc Miami Beach will have a “Animal Supply Drive” benefiting Animal Lovers Rescue (ALR), a local non-profit organization finding pups and kitties their forever homes, along with proper medical attention and nutrition.
- 21c Museum Hotel Chicago is partnering with Cradles to Crayons to hold a clothing drive and donate items to Chicagoland children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play.
- Kimpton Harper will be implementing Kimpton Harper Coat Closet, taking donations for women and children’s coats to local Fort Worth women’s shelters.
Honoring and caring for Veterans
- Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel is partnering with the Philadelphia Veteran Affairs Center for Development and Civic Engagement to host a lunch for 300 individuals as well as a “Sheraton UCity Salutes Veterans” Drive to collect essential items to create care packages to distribute at the hospital.
- Paradise Point Resort & Spa will partner with Operation Dress Code, a program designed to empower women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces by providing them with the professional clothing needed to transition to the civilian workforce. There are more than 115,000 active-duty service members in San Diego.
- Higgins Hotel and Conference Center in New Orleans will honor more than 40 Congressional Medal of honors recipients as it serves as the official hotel of The National World War ll Museum during this historic event for Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
Volunteering at local food banks
- Hilton Gaslamp Quarter San Diego team will volunteer at Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank Warehouse, the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County.
- Hyatt Regency Cincinnati will participate in Freestore Foodbank’s Thanksgiving Holiday Foodbox distribution.
- Hotel Zachary team will volunteer at Nourishing Hope’s Lakeview Sheridan Market, a local food pantry that serves neighbors throughout Chicago whose income is below certain guidelines. Nourishing Hope also offers mental health and social services.
- Islamorada Resort Collection team is volunteering at Burton Memorial Food Pantry in Tavernier, Florida.
- The teams at Margaritaville Hotel Nashville and Embassy Suites Nashville Downtown will be volunteering at Room in the Inn, a local Nashville organization that provides programs and long-term support for those who experience homelessness.
Blood drive
- Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is participating in a blood donation drive with the San Diego Blood Bank.
Equipping local schools
- Davidson Hospitality Group corporate office will build care packages with school supplies for Peyton Forest Elementary in Atlanta, a Title 1, Part A school, which is economically and educationally disadvantaged.
- Barnsley Resort will participate in The Backpack Buddies program, providing children in Cartersville City and Bartow County schools from food-insecure homes with weekend meals during the school year.
Providing gift boxes, resources, and goods to community
- Hilton Garden Inn Emeryville is packaging and sorting canned foods/gift boxes to be handed out to those in the community through Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP).
- Hyatt Lodge at Oak Brook will package food for Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).
- Emery, Autograph Collection, is collaborating with local Minneapolis food suppliers to contribute supplies and host space for The Sandwich Project of Minnesota, which will supply more than 300 sandwiches that will serve food shelves in the Minneapolis area.
- Canopy Philadelphia Center City will be providing Thanksgiving meals through Philadelphia Community Fridges, located throughout the city in neighborhoods where resources are most needed.
- Little Rock Marriott is creating 200 compassion bags for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
- Hilton Garden Inn Arlington/Courthouse Plaza is collaborating with New Hope Housing in Arlington, Virginia, a 44-bed facility that offers adults access to resources in an ongoing effort to combat homelessness. The team will prepare, assemble, and deliver bagged lunches.
Feeding our hometown heroes
- The Don CeSar and Beach House Suites will deliver meals to the local firehouse and police station in St. Pete Beach, Florida
- Margaritaville Resort Orlando will cook and deliver lunch to its local Kissimmee fire and police station.
- Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place will host a themed lunch for the local fire department
